County approves FCSO contracts

Sheriff urges community to be safe on New Year’s Eve

Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth discussed several items approved at the recent county commissioners’ meeting and urged the community to remain safe this New Year’s Eve.

It was moved by Fayette County Commissioners Tony Anderson and Jack DeWeese, on the recommendation of Stanforth, to approve a resolution ratifying a labor agreement. The agreement is between the full-time deputy sheriffs in correction, but excluding all other employees including corporals and above, and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Ohio Labor Council, Inc. The agreement helps govern wages, hours, terms and other conditions of employment, retroactive to Dec. 7 and including Dec. 31 of 2018.

“This gives deputies certain protections, but it was nothing more really than what we had before,” Stanforth said. “It just allows the FOP to negotiate those working agreements for them. It is a good thing, I think it is a very good thing. It just formalizes what they did get if anything. There is nothing out of the order with the contract, it just puts it into a written form, and allows the FOP to become a negotiating entity for them.”

The commissioners also unanimously approved a contract between Stanforth and the Village of Jeffersonville to provide law enforcement services to keep the peace, to protect the property and to perform other necessary police functions in the village for 2018. The village, at the direction of the mayor, reserves the privilege of requesting additional law enforcement services, beyond those provided by the sheriff in keeping the peace of the village.

“We have the same contract with all of our incorporated villages,” Stanforth said. “We provide them with police services. In Jeffersonville, they have emphasized their rights to a portion of the contract where they can pay to actually have a deputy in the village. They have chosen to do that for a set number of hours. We still provide service if someone calls, whatever village it may be, but this gives them the opportunity to have a deputy in the village for certain hours. If they chose to do this, a deputy will remain in the village for those hours even if we have someone covering that end of the county.”

Stanforth also took time to remind the community to celebrate the New Year responsibly. He said some snow is currently predicted for north of Columbus and it may not reach the county, but regardless of the amount, it can make the roadways treacherous.

“We know a lot of people are going to be out partying and drinking if they want to drink,” Stanforth said. “Get a designated driver who is not drinking to take people to and from the parties. Best yet, stay in and party. You don’t have to leave, you don’t have the temptation to get in your car and drive. You can sit and watch the festivities with your friends and family, and no one will need to be going out and potentially being in harm’s way. Being safe is a priority and we are going to have deputies patrolling the roadways as well as Ohio State Highway Patrol out patrolling. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and make it a good New Year.”

The Fayette County Commissioners’ Office is located at 133 S. Main St., suite 401 in Washington Court House and their office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They can be reached at (740) 335-0720.